Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-04-28
THE SOUTH SIDE.
DEATH or A VENERABLE PREACHER
IN PETERSBURG.
Interesting Sketch Of Useful Lifs-A
surry Sensation Another Repub-
lican Convention.
,corrcspondoucc Of tho Richmond Dispstch.l


pErERsBuRe, Va, April 81, 1887.
The venerable John Gregory Clai-
borne, for many years prominent
Methodist divine, died yesterday Mt the
residence OF his son, DIR. John Herbert
Claiborne, in this city, in the ninetieth
year of his age. Mr.. Claiborne was
born in Dinwiddie county, about seven
miles from this city, on the 14th OF
August, 1857. He was educated partly
in Dinwiddic and partly in Peters
burg, completing his course at William
and Mary College, and then studying
law in Petersburg in the Office Of the
late Judge John i. May. He was called
to the bar in the twenty first year OF his
ace, and about the same time married
Miss Mary Il. Weldon, daughter of
Daniel Weldon, Esq, of Roanoke,
and removed to the county OF
Brunswick. About the year 1898 or
1890 he gave up the practice of law
and joined the Methodist church,
soon aiterwardstaking orders clergy
man of that church, and being what is
known ss local preacher. He lived in
Brunswick until 1886, when he came to
his sons residence in this city, deter
mining to spend the winter, il not the
most of his remaining days here. His
venerable form has occasionally been
seen on our streets during the last few
months, but about week ago he was
taken with pneumonia, to which he
soon succumbed. Though in the
ninetieth year of his age, his faculties
remained in perfect exercise, and his
eye was undimmed. He read daily
without the aid of glasses, retaining his
fondness for books to the last.
Mr.. Claiborne wGs the son of John
Herbert Claiborne, of Dinwiddie, a
soldier OF the Revolution and 2 mem
Der of Light Horse Lees famous par
tisan CORPS. He was grandson of
Colonel Augustin Claiborne, who was
secretary of the county under George
H., but who was a noted patriot du-
ring the war, sending some four or five
sons into the service. MIR. Claiborne S
mother was Miss Gregory, daughter
Of Roger Gregory, of Chesterfield
county. He was twice married, leaving
by his first wife four children, coming
to maturity, two OF whom, DIR. John
Herbert Claiborne, of this city, and
Mrs. NJ. A. Thomas, of Birmingham,
Ala, survive. DR.. Weldon Claiborne,
who was an assistant surgeon in the
navy during the late war, who died
here in 1866, was also a son of his. Mr..
Claiborne's second wife was Miss NJ.
E. Claiborne, of Brunswick. She left
no children, and died last year in this
city in the eighty-fourth year of her
age.
In the Hastings Court last night Al
fred Grotz, who was indicted for high
way robbery, was convicted of petit
larceny and sentenced to jail Cor thirty
days.
The report comes from Claremont
that well-known citizen and con-
tractor of that place recently disap-
peared. A little later the wife of an
ether citizen also disappeared. The
supposition is, though there is nothing
definite, that the affair was one of
elopement. 1t is said that the man
purchased ticket in Richmond for In
dianapolis.
The political situation in Sussex
county is said to be boiling, and the
report to-day is that the Independent
Republicans will hold a convention
next week to make nominations for
county officers. They are much dissat-
isfied with the nominations recently
made by the party. The Democratic
convention was to have been held to-
day. The same dissatisfied condition
of things exist among the Republicans
in Brunswick. ROBIN ADAR.